The Guidelines & Evaluation Criteria

(If you have come to this page looking for the response to the JAMA-Pediatrics article, please see the 1st & 2nd paragraphs below.)

Recently
there was an article published in JAMA-Pediatrics which has triggered some
discussion in blogs and other media about the safety of the Baby-Friendly
Hospital Initiative (BFHI) and the practice of mothers and infants remaining
together throughout the hospital stay. Click here to read Baby-Friendly USA’s response. Another article published in JAMA in the same
issue points to how these practices save lives.
Click here to access the article by Drs. Meek and Noble titled Implementation of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding
Saves Lives.

The Guidelines and
Evaluation Criteria are the most important tool to guide the work of
hospitals through the Baby-Friendly designation process.

Baby-Friendly
USA released updated “Guidelines and
Evaluation Criteria for Facilities Seeking Baby-Friendly Designation” (2016
Revision). As indicated by the title, it
includes both the Guidelines facilities
would need to follow to achieve full Baby-Friendly status and Evaluation Criteria that clearly spell
out the minimum standards that a facility must achieve in order to become
Baby-Friendly designated.
·

GUIDELINES: These represent the standard of care that facilities
should strive to achieve for all patients.

EVALUATION CRITERIA:
These represent the minimum standard that a facility must achieve in order
to become Baby-Friendly designated.